, 1887-04-07

connecting Herewith, one OF them on
or near the coast of the Gulf of Mexico
or waters connecting Herewith, and
two of them on or near the coast OF
the Atlantic ocean or waters connect
ing Herewith, and at such places on
or near such coasts or waters as
the secretary of the navy shall approve,
and that If it shall appear to the salts
States from biddings for said contracts
that said vessels cannot be constructed
ut fair cost on or near the coast of
the Pacific ocean or Gulf OF Mexico, he
shall authorize the construction Of
said vessels or either of them elsewhere
in the United States. All of the ves-
sells are to be of the best and most
modern design, having the highest at
tainable speed. Plans and specfica-
tions, approved forms of proposals and
general forms of contract for each ves-
sci will be prepared by the department
and may be seen and examined on and
after June lst, and in the meantime
information as to the general charac-
teristics OF the work may be obtained
anytime. Bidders will be allowed to
make their proposals in the forms,
first, for construction of hull and ma
chinery OF each vessel according to
plans of department; second, for con"
struction of hull and machinery in ac-
cordance with contractors plan with
guarantee of their results, and third
for construction of hull on department
plans, and of engines and machiners
on contractors plans, subject to the
| same limitation in space and weight as
that specified in the department.
CONFLICT OF AUTHORITY.
The Evening Star tonight says
There has been numerous points OF
controversy between second comptrol-
Ter Maynard and secretary Endicott.
The secretary of war has not in all cases
been willing to accept the decisions OF
the second comptroller and has tried on
several occasions to have them revers-
ed or over-ruled in some way. There
has been q conflict of authority
and Judge Maynard has held the
key to the situation. Two or
three months ago Endicott
wrote letter to the second comptrol-
ler in relation to the accounts OF Sur
geon Billings, Lieut.. Ray and Capt.
Wheeler for mileage while journeying
abroad, which had been disallowed,
reopened by request of the secretary Of
war and again disallowed, and also as
to certain accounts of Capt. j. b. b.
Rowles, Major Smith and others. In
his letter Endicott announces that he
intended to submit the cases to the
court of claims under provisions Of
section 2 OF the act Of March 3dd, 1888,
which permits matters controverted in
executive departments to be sent to
the court OF claims. Yesterday just
before returning from the Office of Sec
ond comptroller Judge Maynard
wrote sharp reply to the
secretary of war. He said
that the cases had all been settled and
papers turned over to the second audi
| tor that re-examination had resulted
in sustaining the decision reached in
| the first instance and that the matter
| would not again be reopened. AS to
| the announcement that the secretary
| Of war intended to send the cases to
| the court Of claims, he calls attention
to the tact that the cases are entirely
under the jurisdiction of the treasury
department and cannot be taken TO
the court OF claims by the head of any
! other department. Moreover, he re-
minds Endicott that the court could
only give an opinion and not de-
cision in case the secretary of the treas
ury should go there. In conclusion he
says; "If the secretary of wal
has any doubt with reference
to the correctness of his own
views upon any or all Of abstract
questions of law propounded in his
letters the opinion of the court OF
claims thereon might be of value to
him, but as this Office had no fault
and as far as can be learned, thc de-
partment has none with reference tc
the correctness of the adjustment oI
the accounts referred to it is not seer
how difference of the case by another
department to the court OF claims car
effect the past or control the future
action OF the treasury department
thereof.
A REQUEST GRANTED.
At the afternoon session the com
missioners made the following ruling
| lne lnCer-Statc COMMERCE COllHiissloil
at session of said commission, helt
at their rooms in the city OF Washing
ton, on the 9th day of April, 1887, il
the matter Of the petition of the South
ern Railway & Steamship association
Application having been made to thu
interstate commerce commission un
der section 4, of an act of congress en-
titled an act to regulate commerce, b.
the Southern Railway e. Steamship as
sociation, common carriers subject t
the provisions OF said act, TO
authority to charge less for I
distances in certain cases, that is Il
say, for the transportation of propert.
from and to Boston, Providence, New
York, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Alex